Automatic cut-off for cisterns



M. E. CRANDALL.

AUTOMATIC AGUT-OFF FOR cIsTERNs Filed Jan. 26, 1925 gmantoz II- E Crandall Patented Een. 8, i935.

UNI TED, y S Tz'T orties.

MAX 13. CRANDALL, OF KINGFI'SHR," OKLAHOMA.'

Application nled January To al( 10 tem 'it may cancer/1i.'

Beit known that I, MAX E. CRANDALL, a f citizen ofy the United States,` residing at Kingfisher, in the county of Kingfisher and Statelof'Oklahoma, have invented 4certain newl and useful Improvements in Automatic Cut-ffs for Cisterns, of-which the following` is a specification. Y

My vinvention relates to means for collect` ing rain water Iin cisterns and hasY special reference tothe means whereby the flow of water may be directed to a waste pipe until allofthe dirt or-other accumulations upona roof have `beencarried away and'then automatically directed intothe cistern. The object ofthe invention is to prov-ide a simple de'viceof compact form which will operate positively yto permit iow to one side for a predetermined period of time and then automatically direct it tothe opposite side. Another object of the inventionis to provide a Heat controlled cut-off` which will beinactive during part of the time the water is running and will then actuate the cut-off to divert the {iow and hold the cut-off in the latter posi' tion-until manually reset. These stated objects, and other objects which will inciden# tally appear in the course of the following description, are attainedy in such a mechanism as is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly broken awayand in section, of one embodiment of my invention;

Fig; 2 is an elevation of the device viewed' from'the side opposite that seen in Fig. 1, the uear'wall of the cut-off tank being removed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the clamp whereby the controlling` fioats are attached to the cut-off shaft.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates a portion of the side of a building, and 2 a portion of a down spout leading from the roof of the building. In carrying out my invention, the end of the down spout 2 is fitted in the upper central branch 3 of an inverted Y-shaped coupling having one outlet 4 adapted to discharge upon the ground or be connected with'a sewer orA otherwise arranged to carry ofi. waste water while the AUTOMATIC 'CUT-OFF I-GBVi ICIS'IERNSS 26,1925'. serial No. 4,894.

other terminal 5 isconnected with a pipe G lcadingfto-the cistern.` T he said coupling-is sccuredupon the outer side of a cut-ofil tank 7 whichis-secured to the side of the build- `ingV andhas a removable cover `8 fitted upon its upperV end, a clean-out plug9 being providedin the bottomof the tank and a very snmll drain opening or perforatioult) being providedin'the outer side thereof near the bottom. Near the upper-end of the tank 7 anopening 11 is formed through the outer wall thereof; .and this opening'll registers with asimilar oneningl in the inner wall ofthe upright portion 3 of the coupling, a

cut-off plateor damper lbeing pivotally mounted within the tank adjacent the opening 11 and adapted to extend over the same and cuteoff` the iiow therethrough in an obvious manner. Ycoupling immediately below the opening` 12, I provide a trough 14 which consists of a collar or ring having its lower endiitting in elosev'contaet with the inner surface ofthe branch V3 while itsy upper portion is spaced inwardly from the wall of saidbrauch, as shown at 15* iu Figz, whereby an annular collecting space is provided to receive a small port-ion of the water flowing .through the down spout and direct the saine into and through the openings 12 and 11, the offset or shoulder 16 of' the collarv being inclined toward theopening 12, as clearly shown in ltig. 3'. Above `thetrough or collar, a tubular screen 17 is securedwithin the branch 3, the upper end -of ythis screen being of a proper diameter tofit snugly and closely to theinner surface of the branch, while its lower end is of less diameter and fits within the upper end'of the collar or trough 14, the screenbeing tapered so that the greater vacuum ofthe water and any leaves, trash or other mattei' which may have collected uponl the roof andwhich is washed down by the rain water willbe permitted to pass through tl'xeroupling.. At the" junction of the discharge branches 4 and 5 of the coupling, a rock shaft 18 isjournaled inthe walls of the coupling and'has one end extended into the tank 7 andthere equipped with a crank arm 19. The cutoff valve 20' is secured to the rock shaft 18 and is in the vform of a scoop or panV extending in both directions from the rock. shaft so-that it may extend entirely across either branch 4 or 5 of the coupling and thereby cut-off the flow into one coupling and direct' it into the other branch.

lVithin the branch 3 of the Within the tank, I provide a pair of floats 21 and 22 which are carried by a bent arm 23 connected midway its ends with the crank 19 of the rock shaft 18. To connect the arm 23 with the rock shaft, I employ a pair of clamping plates 24 and 25, the upper plate 24 being fiat throughout its extent and provided in one edge with a notch 26, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, while the lower plate 25 is provided with a flange 27 along its outer edge having a notch 28 therein whereby the fiange may receive the end of the rock shaft 1S and lie close against the outer' side of the crank 19 which rests upon the plate 25 between the same and the plate 24. The plate 25 is also provided with a flange 29 along its inner edge which is provided with a notch 30 forming'a continuation of the notch 31 in the plate 25 and so located as t0 register with the notch 26 in the upper clamping plate 24. The arm 23 is so bent as to provide branches which are disposed at an acute angle to each other and a central connecting portion which is adapted to extend between the clamping plates 24 and through the notch 31 in the clamping plate 25, lying against the flange 29, as shown in rig. 4. Set screws 32 are inserted through and engaged in openings 33 provided for in the clamping plates so that, when the screws are turned home, the clamping plates will be firmly secured together against the crank 19 and the intermediate portion of the arm 23 with the clamping plate 24 resting upon the fianges 27 and 29 of the plate 25. The arm'carrying the floats will thus be rigidly connected with the crank of the rock shaft so that any movement of the floats will be transmitted to the rock shaft and movement of the rock shaft will, of course, be transmitted to the arm 23 and the floats. It is also to be noted that the central portion of the float-carrying arm is disposed parallel with the crank of the rock shaft and the arm, therefore, stands at a right angle to the rock shaft with the tioats at opposite sides of the axis of the rock shaft.

In use, the valve 2O is initially set, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, so that, if there should be rain, the water fiowing from the roof through the down spout will be directed into the waste discharge terminal 4 and the dust or other impurities which may have collected upon the roof will be carried away. The damper 13 is, of course, set in the position shown in Fig. 2 so thatwater may flow freely through the openings 12 and 11 into the tank 7. When a rain occurs, the water flowing through the down spout will, of course, fall upon the cut-off valve 20 and be defiected into the waste discharge 4 but a small portion of the water will pass through the screen 17 and tend to collect in the trough or space between the upper portion of the collar 14 and the wall of the branch 3 there-v of the coupling. This water obviously will be deflected into and through the openings 12 and 11 and will tend to accumulate in the tank 7 but the accmumulation will be slow inasmuch as there is a minute drainage through the vent 10, and the rate of flow into the tank may be regulated by setting the damper 13 se as to uncover more or less of the opening 11. As the water rises in the tank, it will tend to lift the floats 21 and 22 but the lifting action of the water upon the lower float 22 will not be sufficient to overcome the dead-weight of the upper fioat 21 until the water level roaches the latter float, whereupon the floats will be raised as the water level rises and the arm 23 will be rocked so as to turn the shaft 18 and thereby shift the cutoff valve to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, cutting ofi" the flow into the waste terminal 4 and directing it into the terminal 5 connected withthe cistern. As the water level continues to rise, the upper lioat 21 will be carried past the vertical plane of the rock shaft 18 and assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, past the dead-center, so that its weight will serve to hold both floats in the raised position and the cut-off valve 20 will continue to direct the water into the cistern even though the tank 7 should be filled and even after all the water has drained out from the vent 10. Of course, if the device should he operating in the daytime, the flow into the tank may be cut-off by setting the damper 13 so as to entirely cover the opening 11.

From the foregoing description, taken in c mnection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and compact device whereby the iow of water will be directed into a waste pipe until all impurities have been washed away and then automatically directed into the cistern for use. The action of the cnt-ofi valve is positive and cannot occur prema4 turely so as to direct water into the cistern before all the impurities have been washed away inasmuch as the fio-ats do not rise gradually with the increase of water in the tank but are inert until the water reaches the upper float. lVhen the cutoff has been rc versed, it will remain in the reverse position, directing flow into the cistern, notwithstanding the decrease of water in the tank inas- A much as the upper fioat will have been carried past the dead-center and will ccnnlerbalance any tendency of the lower iioat to drop.

rllhe tank is of sufficient dimensions to permit the fioats and the float-carrying arm to be disposed at either side of the axis of the rock shaft accordingly as circumstances require the cistern to be connected with the right-hand or left-hand discharge terminal of the Y coupling. To arrange the floats lcv in reversed position, relative to the position shown in the drawing, the set screws 32 are withdrawn so to permit separation of the clamping plates 2111iant 25 and the arm 23 is then rocked so that the intermediate portion thereof will pass through the notch 26 in the plate 2l instead of through the notch 31 in the plate 25, as shown, this shifting of the said arm brii'igiug the floats into position at the opposite side of the shaft and, of course, holding the crank 19 normally at an angle of ninety degrees to that illustrated. The operation of the device, when thus reversed, will he exactly the same as hereinbeforedescribed, except that the waste water will be directed through the discharge terminal 5 instead of through the terminal l and the terminal fl will be connected with the cistern.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. In an auton'iatic cut-oili for cisterns, the combination of a Y coupling connected with a down spout and having spaced discharge terminals, a tank disposed at the side of the said coupling and in communication with the upper portion of the same, a trough within the coujiiling below and immediate-ly adjacent the point of con'miiunication between the coupling and the tank, a screen secured within the coupling` above the trough and having its lower end litting within the bore ot the trough, a cut-oli" mounted within the coupling at the junction of the discharge terminals thereof. and floatcontrolled means within the tank for shifting said cut-ott'.

2. lln an automatic cut-oli' for cisterns, the con'ibination of a Y coupling connected with a down spout and having an opciiing through its wall adjacent its upper end, a tank disposed at the side of the said coupling and having an opening through its wall registering with the said opening in the coupling, a damper within the tank controlling flow through said openings, a collar having its lower end secured to the inner surface of the coupling` immediately below the yopening therethrough and its upper end spaced inwardly from the surface of the coupling, a tubular screen having its upper end. secured to the wall of the coupling above the said collar and its lower end fitting within the bore of thc collarA a cut-off within the coupling at the junction of the discharge terminals therco't'. and `float-controlled means within the tank for shifting said cut-ofi'.

In an automatic cut-olf for cisterns, the combination. of a Y couplinghaving its upper end connected with a down spout, a tank connected with the side of the said coupling and having its upper portion in communication with the upper end of the same, a t-iltable cut-oft' within the couplingl at the junction of the discharge terminals thereof, a float arm disposed within the tank and connected with said cut-off, and a pair of floats carried by the said arm, the arm having its end portions disposed at an acute angle and the floats being secured upon the ends of the arms whereby one float will be disposed above the other float.

4. In an automatic cut-olf for cisterns, the combination of a Y coupling having its upper end connected with a down spout and having its lower end defining spaced discharge terminals, a rock shaft mounted in the coupling at the junction ofthe discharge terminals, a cut-off valve carried by the said rock shaft within the coupling, a tank connected with the coupling and in communication therewith at its upper end, one end of the shaft extending intothe tank, a crank on the end of the shaft within the tank, a float arm connected with said crank, and floats carried by the said arm and disposed in vertically spaced relation.

5. In an. automatic cut-olif' for cisterns, the combination of a Y coupling having its upper end connected with a down spout and having its lower end defining spaced discharge terminals, a rock shaft mounted in said coupling` at the ljunction of the discharge terminals, a tank connected with the coupling and in communication with the upper end of the same, a crank on the inner end of the rock shaft within the tank, clamping plates secured to said crank, a float arm secured by and between the clamping plates, and floats carried by said arm in vertically spaced relation.

6. In an automatic cut-oft' for ci'sterns, the combination of a Y coupling having its upper end connected with a down spout and having its lower end defining spaced discharge terminals, a. rock shaft mounted in the coupling` at the junction of the discharge terminals, a tank connected with the coupling and in communication with the upper end of the same, a crank on the inner end of the rock shaft within the tank, clamping plates secured to said crank and having notches in their edges remote from the crank, a float arm having a central port-ion fitting between the clamping plates and having diverging end portions, one of which passes through the notch in a clamping plate, and floats carried by the ends of the diverging portions of the said arm, the floats being disposed in vertically spaced relation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MAX E. CRANDALL. [n s] 4 

